Although most motorcyclists would agree that helmets reduce the likelihood of skull fractures and brain injuries, few consider helmets effective at reducing back and spine injuries. In fact, some have theorized that helmets actually increase the likelihood of spine injuries because of the added torque they place on the rider’s neck.
However, recent studies suggests that helmets might actually reduce the chances of spinal injuries in motorcycle accidents. If this is the case, how many more people would wear their helmets? And how many more serious injuries would be avoided?
Motorcycle Helmet Research
According to the Deccan Chronicle, recent research is pointing toward a different conclusion. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin examined the medical charts of more than 1,000 motorcycle accident victims.
In their research, they found that the use of motorcycle helmets reduced the chance of certain Cervical Spine Injury (CSI) significantly. Although helmet use did not seem to reduce the chances of other types of spine injuries, the reduction in CSI instances was significant.
Although Ohio does not make helmets mandatory for all motorcyclists, anyone riding a motorcycle should seriously consider wearing a helmet. In addition to the well-known reduction of head injuries while wearing a helmet, these recent studies show that spinal injuries are reduced as well.